Staff withold bylines to protest layoffs
Posted by Simon Day on May 7, 2009 at 5:59 AM
In protest against recent staff cuts, Baltimore Sun reporters and photographers are withholding their bylines from today's newspaper, the Baltimore Business Journal reported Thursday. Instead, under each headline, the byline reads "By a Baltimore Sun staff writer." The byline strike will last one day.
The newspaper last week laid of 61 staff, which is almost one third of the paper's newsroom. The newsroom is now made up of only 158 staff, down form 420 in 1999 when the newspaper was acquired by the Tribune Co.
The newspaper last week laid of 61 staff, which is almost one third of the paper's newsroom. The newsroom is now made up of only 158 staff, down form 420 in 1999 when the newspaper was acquired by the Tribune Co.
The cuts were made as the Tribune Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it attempts to restructure its US$13 billion debt load.
"These decisions were made without any discussions on alternative cost-saving methods," said Brent Jones, a Sun editor and Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild representative, in a statement. "We wanted to do something to show our former co‑workers that we're upset with how they were treated last week. We produce this paper and expect our voices to be heard."
"These decisions were made without any discussions on alternative cost-saving methods," said Brent Jones, a Sun editor and Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild representative, in a statement. "We wanted to do something to show our former co‑workers that we're upset with how they were treated last week. We produce this paper and expect our voices to be heard."
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